Birchfield Harrier Louise Hazel hopes to shine

COMMONWEALTH Games gold medallist Louise Hazel insists she has no intention of living in Jessica Ennis’ shadow at this summer’s World Championships – instead revealing she intends to steal her thunder in Daegu, South Korea.

COMMONWEALTH Games gold medallist Louise Hazel insists she has no intention of living in Jessica Ennis’ shadow at this summer’s World Championships – instead revealing she intends to steal her thunder in Daegu, South Korea.

Birchfield Harrier Hazel, who was at Birmingham’s LG Arena for the UK finals of the Aviva Sportshall championships yesterday, endured a topsy-turvy season in 2010, narrowly missing out on a place at the European Championships in Barcelona with her best heptathlon score just 81 points below the qualifying standard.

As a result the 25-year-old had to watch from her living room as Ennis added the European title to her world crown but far from dwell on the disappointment, Hazel bounced back to grab Commonwealth gold in Delhi.

Ennis’ absence from the Indian capital made that task a far easier one but with fellow Birchfield Harrier Kelly Sotherton ditching the heptathlon in favour of the 400m, it’s Hazel who is now Ennis’ understudy.

With the World Championships acting as the final major dress rehearsal ahead of the London 2012 Olympics, she is determined to ride the crest of her Delhi wave all the way to the Far East.

“I am determined to keep improving and keep going up and up so believe me, I am heading to Daegu to do the business,” said Hazel.

“I still haven’t come down from the buzz I got from winning Commonwealth Games gold and I intend to live on this high all year and heading into London 2012.

“I know that Daegu will be the final curtain call in terms of London 2012 and I am determined not to let it pass me by and build on what I did in Delhi.

“I made a bit of a name for myself after the Commonwealth Games and I need to keep that momentum going.”

The Aviva Sportshall is part of the Aviva Athletics Academy which encourages and enables children to get involved in athletics.

Hazel added: “Sportshall is great and the atmosphere is absolutely buzzing and there are some really good young athletes here.

“It is nice to see everyone having fun, enjoying athletics and that is how it should be really.

“This is a great insight into athletics and it gives these youngsters a great opportunity to give something different a go because at school you don’t always know what you are good at.

“And it looks like a little mini-Olympics and it is a great beginning for these young guys.’’

There was something for the home crowd to cheer yesterday as Birmingham won overall boys’ Under-15 gold, while the girls prize went to Berkshire.

But there was agony for Birmingham in the Under-13 team prizes.

They finished just off the podium in fourth in both while Cheshire’s girls took gold and Avon boys topped the pile.

? Aviva has been supporting British athletes since 1999 and paving the way for the next generation. Get involved in the Aviva Athletics Academy at http://aviva.co.uk/athletics